Snowman macarons

Posted in Meringue by granellidizucchero

Macarons à la Linzer

Ingredients

For the shells:

– 200g of almond meal

– 200g of powdered sugar

– 200g of caster sugar

– 146g of egg whites

– 5cl of water

– edible pearls, edible snowflakes, ribbons and food decorating pens

Combine the caster sugar and the water in a saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to 118°. In the meanwhile put half of the the egg whites in a mixer bowl and whip them on medium speed to soft peaks. Pour the 118° syrup in a thin, steady stream into the whipping egg whites.

Continue whipping the meringue on medium speed until the temperature drops to 50°.

In a large bowl combine the almond meal, the caster sugar and the other half of the egg whites and mix well.

Add a small part of the meringue to the almond paste and mix gently, then add the rest of the meringue, fold and scratch the surface until the batter starts to run glossy.

Put the mixture in a pastry bag with a large tip and form two circles (one big and one small) on parchment lined sheet pans. Allow the macarons shells to sit for 1 hour until the surface feels dry to the touch.

Preheat the oven to 150° and bake the shells for approximately 14 minutes. Cool the macarons shells on the sheet pans.

For the Linzer filling:

– 120g of red currant jam

– 38g of walnut meal

– 38g of almond meal

– 2 tsp of cinnamon

– 20g of powdered sugar

– the peel of 1 lemon

Mix together all the ingredients until smooth. Fill your snowman macarons with the Linzer filling. Decorate the snowmen with edible snowflakes and pearls, food decorating pens and ribbons.

I wish you all a sweet Christmas time!!

Bon appétit,

Anna

19Dec2014

Santa’s buttons

Posted in Cookies by granellidizucchero

I’ve found these buttons in my living room near the Christmas tree… I think Santa came too early and lost something from his jacket!

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

– 125g of butter

– 2 egg yolks

– 250g of flour

– 100g of granulated sugar

– 1 pinch of salt

– 1 tsp of cinnamon

– lemon zest

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until you obtain a dough ball.

Put the dough in the fridge for around 30 minutes. After that roll it out on a floured surface.

Take two round baking moulds with different diameters, cut out your biscuits and form four holes in the middle (I used a chopstick).

Preheat the oven to 175° C (347° F). Put your biscuits in the oven and bake for around 13 minutes or until golden on top.

Pass a ribbon trough the holes and here you have your delicious button biscuits, a perfect Christmas baking idea!

Have a sweet Christmas time!!

Bon appétit,

Anna

22Jan2014

“As american as Apple Pie!”

Posted in Cakes by granellidizucchero

Apple Pie

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

– 300g of flour

– 100g of almond meal

– 200g of butter

– 170g of granulated sugar

– 2 eggs + 1 yolk

– a pinch of salt

– lemon bark

For the filling:

– 800g of apples

– 25g of granulated sugar

– 25g of brown sugar

-1 tablespoon of lemon juice

– 1 tablespoon of cinnanon

– a pinch of salt

– 20g of butter

– 7g of flour

For the crust place the flour, the almond meal, the butter, the eggs, the sugar, the salt and the lemon bark in a food processor until the mixture forms a ball. Cover it with a plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

In the meanwhile cut the apples into slices and put them in a bowl. Add the granulated and the brown sugar, the lemon juice, the cinnamon and the salt. Leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then place a strainer over a bowl and put the apples in it. Let the apples drain for 20 minutes. Put the obtained apple juice in a small saucepan with the butter. Place the pot over medium heath and boil for 10 minutes until you obtain a syrup. Add the caramelized syrup to the apples.

Take the mixture for the crust from the fridge and divide it in two parts. Put one part on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a circle and transfer it to a pie pan. Roll into a circle also the second part of the mixture.

Add the flour to the apples and blend well. Put the apples into the pie pan (over the crust) and cover the pie with the top crust. Remove any excess of pastry and with a sharp knife make a cross in the middle of the pie (to allow the steam to escape).

Preheat the oven to 200° C. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180° C and bake for other 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 170° C and finish the baking for 15 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature with some vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream.

Bon appétit,

Anna

28Dec2013

Rudolph cake pops

Posted in Cakes by granellidizucchero

Almond and cinnamon cake pops

Ingredients:

– 80g of butter

– 110g of granulated sugar

– 1 egg

– 135g of flour

– 1 teaspoon of baking powder

– 80ml of milk

– 60g of almond meal

– 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

– Cake pops silicone mould (for 18 pieces)

For the chocolate coat:

– 100g of dark chocolate

– 100g of white chocolate

– Gel food coloring

Preheat the oven at 160°.

Beat the softened butter with the sugar until the mixture is creamy.

Add the egg and continue whisking. Add the flour with the baking powder, the cinnamon and the milk. Continue mixing until you have a creamy texture. Add the almond meal and mix. Fill the buttered cake pops mould and bake for 20 minutes at 160°.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool, remove form the mould and insert the stick into each cake pop.

Melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie. Melt also the white chocolate. Coat half of the cake pops with the dark chocolate and the other half with the white chocolate, decorate with gel food coloring and little branches.

Have a sweet Christmas time,

bon appétit

Anna

22Dec2013

Christmas whoopies

Posted in Cookies by granellidizucchero

Ingredients (for 8 whoopies):

– 75g of dark chocolate

– 50g of butter

– 1 egg

– 90g of granulated sugar

– 110g of flour

– 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

– 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

– a pinch of salt

For the filling:

-50g of dark chocolate

– 125 ml of cream

– 2 tablespoon of chocolate chips

– 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

For the decoration:

– Royal icing and gel food coloring

Preheat the oven to 175° and line two baking pans with parchment paper.

Put the chocolate and the butter in a bowl and place them over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat when melted. With an electric whisk, mix the egg and the sugar and add the melted butter and chocolate. Pass through a sieve the cocoa powder, the baking soda, the flour, the salt and add them into the egg mixture. Stir well and slowly.

Put the dough into a pastry bag with a large tip and form the whoopie pies on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 9 minutes.

For the filling put the chocolate in a bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat when melted.

Whip the cream on medium speed. Add half of it in the melted chocolate, mix well but slowly and stir in the rest of the cream. Add chocolate chips and cinnamon to the mixture.

Put the cream into a pastry bag and cover the flat side of the whoopie. Top with another whoopie to assemble them.

Decorate with royal icing and gel food coloring.

I WISH YOU ALL A SWEET CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

Your Anna

Granelli di zucchero

Tag Archives: Cinnamon

Santa’s buttons

“As american as Apple Pie!”

Apple Pie

Rudolph cake pops

Almond and cinnamon cake pops

Christmas whoopies